• CSR Europe members are coming together to address companies' site management strategies for biodiversity conservation and the impact of their products on biodiversity.

• Corporate members and National Partner Organisations can express their interest to join by 29th February. The group will work to incubate a new collaborative platform, set to be launched in 2025.

The rich tapestry of flora and fauna crucial to human survival is experiencing a gradual decline on a global scale. With 50% of the world's GDP in jeopardy, biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruptions jumped up on the agenda of policymakers and investors alike. Yet, despite initiatives like the EU's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and the inclusion of biodiversity considerations into the EU Taxonomy, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSRD) and Due Diligence (CS3D) directives, corporate action struggles to take off.

Why? The inherent local nature of biodiversity loss demands adaptable strategies tailored to specific contexts in which the company operates, rendering it both a challenging and costly issue to address. Furthermore, companies frequently approach biodiversity concerns primarily in response to impeding regulations, overlooking its centrality within their corporate sustainability and responsibility strategy. This tendency to view biodiversity conservation as a compliance issue rather than an integral element of their broader business approach hinders the development of comprehensive and proactive measures, further complicating an already difficult situation.

THE BIODIVERSITY ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT

In this context, CSR Europe’s Biodiversity Alliance aims to bring together leading corporate members and National Partner Organizations (NPOs) within the network to collaboratively develop, prioritize, and seamlessly integrate robust biodiversity management strategies into business practices and operations. How? By sharing best practices, engaging with peers, European policymakers, and representatives of governments and civil society, and testing selected methodologies via pilot projects, to achieve impact at scale.

The Alliance will focus on companies' site management practices, addressing how companies currently evaluate and oversee biodiversity on their premises; examining the measures in place within corporate facilities, including the adherence to local and international regulations; and how companies engage with local communities and stakeholders in their biodiversity preservation efforts. The second focus, instead, will be on the biodiversity impact of companies' products, including product life cycle assessments and the engagement of suppliers to advance biodiversity-friendly practices.

Responding to the call of world leaders at COP27, the Alliance will work in 2024 to incubate a multi-stakeholder collaborative platform that will drive transformative corporate action for biodiversity preservation in 2025.

HOW TO APPLY

8 seats are available to corporate members and 2 to National Partner Organisations wishing to join the Alliance. To be selected, members must meet the following two criteria:

CORPORATE CRITERIA

• Companies must have already adopted a biodiversity strategy.

• Commitment to implementing a biodiversity action plan in collaboration with other companies.

NPO CRITERIA

• Successful delivery of at least 1 international/EU projects on the topic.

• Pledge to actively involve, in 2025, at least 1 company in the future collaborative platform on biodiversity.

Members have time until 29th February to express their interest by reaching out to Martina Ferrera Snider.

For more information:

Lorena Sorrentino,

Manager